Fluid dispensable applicator brush



May 2, 1967 F. w. TEBBS FLUID DISPENSABLE APPLICATOR BRUSH Filed Oct.30, 1964 3 l/WE/VTUR FRANCES W. TEBBS ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,316,580 FLUID DISPENSABLE APPLICATOR BRUSH Frances W. Tebbs,Alexandria, Va., assignor to A. Robert Matt Associates, Incorporated,Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Oct. 30, 1964, Ser.No. 407,828 6 Claims. (Cl. -539) The present invention relates toapplicators, and more especially to the species thereof defined asbrushes. Invention has particular utility in dental cleaning, treatmentand care; nevertheless, the principle of invention is applicable to thegeneral art of fluid dispensing: cleaning, coating and related fluids onapplicators for the purposes desired.

An hygienic adaptation of the device is especially suitable for portableand disposable means of applying the cleaning fluid. Likewise, theentire invention, in combination, is adaptable to one-time-use anddisposal. It is ideally packaged as a complete one-time-use kit, readilycarried on the person or in the Wallet, or pocketbook.

The particular construction of the device is such as to conserve thefluid, be it dentrifice or other cleaning, polishing or coatingsubstance. For these and other reasons, the following objectives arerecited.

It is an objective of the invention to create to a simple, yet effectivemeans of containing, dispensing and conserving cleaning and relatedfluids on applicators. V

A further objective of invention is to provide a disposa-ble cleaningkit in which not only may the fluid be hygienically contained andhermetically sealed, but also that the means for containing the fluidmay be hygienically associated in cooperative, dispensable relation to abrush or like applicator.

It is a principal objective of invention to devise the simplest possiblemeans for containing applicator fluid in dispensable relation toapplicator through the use of a confined and disposable reservoir forthe applicator, the fluid reservoir dispensa'bly engaging opposedsegments of the applicator means.

Yet another objective of invention is to create a novel system forcarrying, dispensing and applying cleaning and like fluids toapplicators precedent to depositing the fluid on the surfaces to betreated.

With these and other objectives in mind, such as may be apparent fromthe ensuing description and drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of applicator and fluid reservoir,precedent to dispensing of the fluid on the applicator;

FIGURE 2 is a view thereof in vertical section, taken along the lines2-2 of FIGURE 1, showing the details of construction of opposed segmentsof the applicator, the applicator means comprising, in this instance,bristles, integrally formed with the applicator;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan vie-w of the applicator combination illustratedin FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an illustration of the mode of operation of the cooperativeflexible reservoir and applicator means as engaged by the user.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the applicator or brush it) ofFIGURE 1 is shown to comprise a substantially unitary semi-rigidconstruction of maximum simplicity, the same to include handle element12 and head element 14. The handle is preferably of convolute design,concave at the bottom and reinforced sufliciently to lend overallrigidity between handle and head 14. In the present instance, atoothbrush is shown, the same to comprise a flexible material, as forinstance, polyvinylchloride. In this instance, the head 14 is bifurcatedat 16 and because of the resilient nature of the material, thebifurcation is terminated at apex 20 and on its outer end by opposedcontiguous lips 18. -It will be appre- 3,316,589 Patented May 2, 1967ciated from observation that the fluid reservoir envelope 40 of FIGURE1, may be inserted into the space defined by opposed segments 14' and14" by slidable insertion of the tab portion hereinafter described ingreater detail.

With especial reference to FIGURE 2, the reservoir envelope confininggap 16 of head 14 is bound at its side by the opposed segments 14' and14" terminating at respective upper and opposite ends by thecorresponding shoulder 22 and 22". These shoulders are designed toensure that as the envelope is drawn downwardly, the squeezing effectupon the envelope is such as to cause the eflluent, in this case,dentrifice, to deposit itself upon the top of the bristles 30 as shownin FIGURE 4.

Noteworthy is the fact that the applicator assemblage is preferablyconstructed of substantially the same material, including the brushportion but not the fluid containing envelope 40. This particularenvelope 40 shown in FIGURES 1 and 4, includes flat side and ends, apocket portion 42 being hermetically sealed by the adjacent sides andbeing of blister configuration.

The pull tab 44 is preferably roughened or apertured as shown to yield abetter frictional pulling surface for the user.

Reference the shoulders 22' and 22" above, the basic purpose of theshoulders is to ensure that the fluid which is forced from the burstingpacket or envelope is forced out sooner than could be accomplished werethe shoulders not an integral part of the construction, extending asthey are between opposed columns of corresponding bristles. The resultis that less fluid is required to accomplish the purpose, since theseshoulders substantially ensure against deposit of the fluid at the baseof the bristles, where it is less needed. For this reason, the shoulders22' and 22" are preferably substantially less in height than thebristles from the top of the corresponding segments 14- and 14". Inpractice, these shoulders should be less than one-half the height of thebristles.

Turning again to the envelope iii, it is most desirable that theenvelope or packet portion 42, confining the fluid in the reservoir havethe weakest sealing portion thereof adjacent its top, to thereby ensurean upward flow of the effluent fluid, as opposed to sidewise burstingand flow. Alternatively, portions of the sides of the envelope adjacentthe top may be sealably weakened for bursting to ensure that theefiluent or fluid shall be deposited at the forward and outward portionof the bristles as well as at the rearward and outward portion thereof,without substantially clogging the bristles adjacent their respectivebases.

In operation therefore, the system is such as to take a hermeticallysealed efliuent and apply it to an applicator by means of partiallyconfining one end of a flexible fluid reservoir adjacent the applicatoror brush means, and of sequentially expressing fluid onto the applicatormeans through pulling the reservoir through the fixed confining area,which is perforce of substantially less cross'section in area than thethickness of the reservoir; to burst same and dispense the desired fluidupon the applicator. This is done by first inserting the envelope in asidewise direction through the corresponding lips 18, which are forcedapart yielding access of the envelope pull tab to the bifurcatedenvelope confining channel 16, retaining thereby the lower portion ofthe envelope and exposing the upper portion or reservoir portion thereofto the plow ejection. In operation this is done by pulling downwardagainst opposed shoulders 22' and 22" as well as intermediatecorresponding co-extensive inner walls of segments 14' and 14".

Whereas this particular invention has been described with reference tothe application of dentrifice to toothbrushes and the like, it will bereadily apparent that other products requiring hygienic hermetic sealingagainst contamination by the atmosphere, such as: medicines, cleaningfluids, even fluid powders and the like, may be dispensed accordingly.The particular packet or envelope defining the reservoir for the fluidwhich is to be dispensed upon the applicator may take various formswithout departing from the spirit of the invention, it being obviousthat the example recited is by way of illustration only. Accordingly,the invention in its detailed construction and the mode of operation isrestricted only as efined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The improvement in applicators comprising a resilient applicatorhead, bifurcated medially to define opposed segments; applicator meanson said opposed segments; and a confined reservoir of applicator fluidin the form of a frangible envelope, detachably engaging the opposedsegments; shoulder means in extension of the segments, adjacent theapplicator means, guiding the envelope to dispense its fluid first uponexposed ends of the applicator means.

2. The improvement of claim 1 in which said the envelope is sealed todefine the reservoir, the weakest sealing portion of the envelope beingadjacent its top.

3. The improvement of claim 1, said applicator being a toothbrush, thesegments bearing opposed rows of bristles longitudinally of theapplicator, said confined reservoir extending above the bristles andbeing initially set for dispensing adjacent tops of the bristles bymoving the reservoir in confined dispensing relation to the opposedsegments.

4. The combination in a toothbrush having a head,

handle and bristles on the head, said head being bifurcatedlongitudinally to form opposed segments, said segments each defininglongitudinal shoulders in extension thereof adjacent the bristles,disposable dentifrice dispensing means, said dispensing means comprisinga dentifrice containing envelope with reservoir and tab portions, saidreservoir portion being of greater thickness than the tab, and restinginitially confinedly above and between said segments and shoulders inextension thereof, and said tab portion extending below the segments,whereby upon pulling the tab, the confined fluid may be first dispensedon exposed ends of the bristles.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which the envelope is sealed to definethe reservoir, the weakest sealing portion of the envelope beingadjacent its top.

6. The system of claim 5 in which the confinement is guide controlled byopposed segment closure at the end of the applicator means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,868,368 7/1932Reese 15-1672 2,226,634 12/ 1940 Sabin. 2,921,718 1/1960 Meissner 141-18X FOREIGN PATENTS 490,841 11/1936 Great Britain.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. S. E. BECK, Assistant Examiner.

1. THE IMPROVEMENT IN APPLICATORS COMPRISING A RESILIENT APPLICATORHEAD, BIFURCATED MEDIALLY TO DEFINE OPPOSED SEGMENTS; APPLICATOR MEANSON SAID OPPOSED SEGMENTS; AND A CONFINED RESERVOIR OF APPLICATOR FLUIDIN THE FORM OF A FRANGIBLE ENVELOPE, DETACHABLY ENGAGING THE OPPOSEDSEGMENTS; SHOULDER MEANS IN EXTENSION OF THE